The Lofty Fierce Consort

Chapter 124

? “There is a reason why the fifth child is like this.”

Luo Huaiyuan sighed and said to Yan Yan in detail.

It turns out that the fifth prince Luo Jing was born secretly by a low-ranking concubine named Li Cairen.

Speaking of this, it is necessary to talk about the struggle between Empress Xiao and Concubine Xu.

As soon as Xu Guifei entered the palace, she showed an unparalleled momentum, rising from the lowest-level dressing all the way to the concubine position. Regarding such a threat, Empress Xiao would naturally not allow her to develop like this.

One is the head of the Sixth Palace, and the emperor’s favorite concubine, who fights equally well.

As the saying goes, the fire at the gate of the city affected the pond fish, and the concubines of the other harems were the fish that were affected.

Empress Xiao is tolerant on the surface, but in reality the methods are vicious and vicious.

Of course, these are invisible from the surface, but after a long time, no one is a fool. From his wedding when he was still the prince to the throne, the heirs of Emperor Xi were not abundant. Before Xu Guifei gave birth to the second princes, there were only two princesses born to the lower concubines except for the princes born by Empress Xiao.

Before giving birth to the second prince, Concubine Xu was pregnant with a child. Because of the miscarriage of her hands and feet by the queen, Xu Guifei’s personality changed drastically, and she faced the queen in tit-for-tat. The situation in the harem gradually became tense, and some tactics were all relying on both sides. The queen occupies the main seat, and there are many vassals, but Xu Guifei is favored in front of Emperor Xi, and it is not that no one can take refuge. The harem gradually formed a two-legged situation, and there was still a small group of people who wanted to take refuge and no one wanted.

Li Cairen is one of them.

Li Cairen was fortunate to be pregnant by accidentally accepting a pet.

At that time, the situation in the harem was even more tense.

Not long after Emperor Xi ascended the throne, the throne was unstable. In the previous dynasty, two vassal kings staying in Beijing jumped up and down to collude with courtiers, and later a queen mother was secretly involved. Here in the harem, the smoky miasma is constantly turbulent, and there are always pregnant concubines in the palace who have miscarried for no reason, or died due to dystocia. In a few years, no one except the imperial concubine and the queen can give birth to an emperor.

Li Cai is timid by nature, and he is always afraid that he will be harmed. Miscarriage is second. The key is that he is afraid that he will lose his life. After thinking about it, I finally made a ridiculous decision, which was to hide the news that I was pregnant and wait until the right opportunity to make it public.

On the other hand, it is impossible for others, but this Li Cairen lives in a remote place, is timid and does not like to socialize with others, and has no friends in the palace. He is also a talented person who rarely sees a holy face once a year. In this huge harem, it is not as conspicuous as a faceless slave.

The fifth prince was born under this situation, and the various sufferings Li Cai suffered during this time needless to say.

It stands to reason that the children are born now and can be made public. But at that time, the battle between Xu Guifei and the Queen had become fierce. During this time, Xu Guifei had another miscarriage after giving birth to the second prince. The third prince who had just given birth to the queen also died at the age of two. Li Cairen saw this situation even more severe. I dare not say anymore.

This possession is nearly six years old.

In fact, in the past six years, the situation in the harem has entered a stable stage. After the death of the Queen Mother, Emperor Xi also settled all the things of the previous dynasty. When singing and dancing were in peace, it would be a bit too much to make trouble in the harem. Empress Xiao and Concubine Xu also understood who they were and couldn’t help each other, and gradually formed a situation of disagreement with each other.

The five princes were in this way when they were discovered. They were more serious than they are now, like a small wooden doll, who can’t cry, laugh, or talk, and even seldom blinks their eyes.

At the same time, Li Cairen also appeared in everyone’s eyes, but she was crazy now.

According to reports, Li Cairen hid him in a dark room for six years in order to prevent the five princes from being discovered. Fearing that the fifth prince would be heard crying, he tied his mouth with a cloth strip, leaving only his nose to breathe, and never taught him to speak, let alone let his confidants talk to him, fearing that the child would be sensible and would make trouble to go out. run.

The descendants of Emperor Xi are few, and ecstasy is followed by anger.

But it is already like this, and Li Cairen’s appearance is also very pitiful, he can only find an imperial doctor to treat him slowly, but it has not been effective. The imperial physicians said that the fifth prince’s body was okay, and his ears could be heard. It was just that his entire body was closed because of his childhood being closed.

Li Cairen was named a respectable man, but he passed away not long after. The fifth prince was able to save himself and grow up steadily because of his dumb illness.

Many times, Luo Huaiyuan felt that he was quite miserable. He was in such an environment in his previous life, and the reason why he had never wanted to commit suicide and then went back to modern times. In addition to his nerves are thicker than others, there is also a more miserable person as the bottom.

There is happiness in contrast, at least he still has a mother who is desperately protecting himself, although he is verbose, at least he is not alone.

Sometimes human nature is so absurd and funny.

A few years ago, the fourth prince, who was still a small dumpling, played with the fifth prince.

He thinks this little man is really funny, no matter how he makes him laugh, he always doesn’t laugh. In addition, the five princes grew up well, like a porcelain doll when they were young, and everyone has a heart for beauty. So sometimes the little four princes would say a few words to the fifth princes, but they said very little and carried others behind their backs.

The little four princes once said to the fifth princes, in fact, you are quite good like this, unlike me.

For the first time, the fifth prince revealed what could be called emotion, something called loss. After that, he raised his head and looked at the narrow sky surrounded by the palace wall. The four princes had followed him, but he still doesn’t know what he is looking at.

But he also learned one thing, this fifth child is not a wooden person.

Yan Yan felt uncomfortable, an unspeakable surging filled her heart, making her feel uncomfortable in her nasal cavity and her throat.

“Resent?”

Luo Huaiyuan laughed and said, “What are you complaining about? You can’t control your birth, but you must believe that you can control your future. Look, I want to go out of the palace, and then out, although I’m back now, let’s I must be able to go out. Look, I want to marry you, so I tried my best to trick you back and become myself a wife.”

Yan Yan was a little bit ridiculous, and every time he said something to him seriously, he could always make people feel strange.

It was all sentimental just now, right?

***

On the first day of the new year, Emperor Xi, as the master of Daxi, was very busy.

Early in the morning, you need to go to the Fengxian Temple to worship your ancestors, and then the Dachaohui will accept the courtesy of the officials and the envoys of the Fanbang. In occasions like the Great Court, only the prince can follow in justifiably, but the other princes don’t need to go.

And Luo Huaiyuan and Yan Yan need to go to Fengqi Palace to pay New Year greetings to Empress Xiao, and then visit Ma Cairen.

Ma Cairen now lives in a relatively remote palace in the harem. Because of her merit in giving birth to the four princes, although she has been reduced to the position of a talented person, her treatment is still better than that of a concubine.

The palace where Ma Cai lives is not big, but fortunately, it has nothing to do with her.

Seeing his son and his wife come, Ma Cairen laughed from ear to ear.

She has a slightly blessed posture, a round face, and she is only in her thirties, but her temples are slightly pale. Judging from his clothes and appearance, Ma Cairen is not like a court concubine, but like the wife of a squire.

Ma Cairen likes Yan Yan very much. When he sees her, he holds her hand and keeps telling her about Luo Huaiyuan’s embarrassment when he was a child.

Luo Huaiyuan looked embarrassed, and this was the first time Yan Yan saw such a cheeky person.

At noon, I stayed at Ma Cairen for lunch. Ma Cairen was quiet and there were no people coming. The family of three sat together and had a very rich lunch.

After lunch, Yan Yan went to change clothes, and Ma Cairen quietly pulled Luo Huaiyuan aside to speak.

“This daughter-in-law likes it, son, you really have a foresight, you actually found such a beautiful daughter-in-law back.”

Luo Huaiyuan was a little proud, but also a little embarrassed.

Ma Cairen lowered his voice: “When I saw that you didn’t leave the palace, I thought it might not be the other way around. Listening to your mother’s words, before you leave the palace, you must never let your daughter-in-law have a body.”

Luo Huaiyuan was stunned for a moment, as if this meant what he meant.

“The prince has never had a male heir, if at this time your daughter-in-law has…”

When talking about this, Yan Yan came out from inside, and Ma Cairen hurriedly fell silent.

“What’s the matter?” Yan Yan glanced at Luo Huaiyuan’s strange expression.

“It’s okay, it’s too early, let’s go back.”

Yan Yan nodded, and said goodbye to Luo Huaiyuan and Ma Cairen before putting on their respective capes and leaving.

***

On the night of the first day of the new year, it is customary in the palace to hold a ‘blessing feast’.

This kind of banquet is a state banquet. First, it is to entertain the envoys of the various countries and to show my great prosperity and prosperity. Second, it is also to give a banquet to hundreds of officials. State banquets are divided into three levels, and banquets of this level are generally set in the Jiying Hall.

Jiying Hall occupies a large area, sitting north facing south, divided into front and rear halls, east and west halls, and side halls, which can accommodate more than a thousand people for a banquet at the same time. The blessing feast started in the afternoon and ended at the end of the hour. It was time singing and dancing, and it was a rare lively event in the palace.

Back at the Xianyun Hall, Yan Yan and Luo Huaiyuan just took a break, prepared a fragrant soup for a bath and changed their respective crowns to the Jiying Hall. For a banquet like this, the two as the prince and the prince must be served.

When the two men arrived, Jiying Hall was already very lively.

As the prince, Luo Huaiyuan was in the main hall, while Yan Yan followed the queen and other imperial concubines to have a feast with the other women in the west hall.

In the west side hall, there were already many foreign servants, all of them wearing regulated crown clothes, looking blurry, and it was difficult to tell who was who. However, Yan Yan has already seen two people, that is, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Zhen Guo, and his aunt, Mrs. Shen Er. Mrs. Zhen Guogong is the first-class Mrs. Guogong. She is of high seniority and respect. She sits at the top of the first column on the right.

Yan Yan, who was following the queen, blinked at the two of them.

All the wives stood up and knelt down three times and screamed for the mother of thousands of years. Before she bowed down, Mrs. Zhen Guo was helped up by the queen herself, and said with a smile, “How can my aunt worship me.”

Mrs. Zhenguo said: “This is the rule. Old women should worship the empress.”

In the end, they gave up, and everyone took their seats according to the pre-arranged seats.

Lu Xiuling and Yan Yan were sitting next to each other, but Yan Yan ignored her, just sat there with half-downcast eyes, like an old monk entering concentration.

After a while, the feast began.

A courtesy official sang words, and all the people in the hall stood up for a time, kneeling and knocking three times and shouting, long live my emperor long live long live long live. After the ceremony, they took their seats again.

After a while, there was the sound of silk and bamboo playing music on the west stage, and a group of graceful and graceful palace actors arrived in the field and danced to the music.

A banquet like this is nothing delicious. The dishes that seem to be served are beautiful and exquisite, but in fact, it has already been cold after so long, that is, it is just good-looking. This type of state banquet also has another name called ‘Kanpan’, which means it’s just for viewing. Of course, it is definitely impossible to make everyone hungry, so some snacks and drinks are also served to satisfy their hunger.

Yan Yan and Luo Huaiyuan didn’t eat anything to cushion their stomachs before they came, because they accidentally fell asleep late, and they could only rush to rush after they got up. Like some people who often participate in such banquets, they all have experience. If they are full beforehand, they will not lose courtesy due to eating too much, and people will not be hungry.

The feast here in the West Side Hall is very boring. A foreign servant upholds her identity, smiling and not showing her teeth, and she does not eat on the table. Looking over rashly, except for the palace actor dancing in the field, everyone else was sitting in a daze. There are laughter and applause from time to time in the main hall. It is said that men’s banquets are much more interesting than women’s banquets. There are not only singing and dancing but also various juggling and martial arts programs.

Very boring Yan Yan said that she was jealous of Luo Huaiyuan, but in fact, she also wanted to see the excitement.

The main hall is indeed lively, the princes and ministers are all gathered together, and there are envoys from various countries who come to pay tribute. These Fanbang people are dressed in weird shapes and look different from Daxi people. At the beginning of the banquet, several Panbangs paid tribute to Emperor Xi with some rare and exotic treasures, which caused Xi Emperor Longyan to rejoice.

Luo Huaiyuan, who was sitting down, rolled his eyes in his heart, and used his chopsticks to pull the food in front of him. What rare and exotic treasures are just some local specialties. For others, it is naturally unseen. For Luo Huaiyuan, who has had a lifetime of knowledge, he can only end with a sentence of “long hair and short knowledge”.

There are many small countries such as Ryukyu, Fusang, Siam, and Goryeo in the Pan-states that came to pay tribute this time. Since Daxi imposed a maritime ban, businessmen and officials from these small countries flocked to Daxi. On the one hand, it is the prosperity of the local economy through trade, and on the other hand, it also enhances the friendship between the two countries.

Daxi has always held a heavy and light position among these small countries. Some of these small countries are Daxi’s vassal states. For example, Goryeo has always been Daxi’s vassal state. People will be sent to pay tribute to Daxi at every age. Because of this, the prince of Goryeo, who came to pay tribute this time, was very much affected by Emperor Hee’s eyes.

Of course, there are countries like Goryeo, and some come for the friendship between the two countries, such as Siam and Ryukyu. These two places are far away from Daxi and separated by a sea. Naturally, there is no need to shoot Daxi like Goryeo, which is close at hand. The flattery. For example, Fusang, the relationship between Fusang Kingdom and Daxi has not been very good. In the early years, the coastal area of ​​Daxi was harassed by pirates, many of which were under the banner of Fusang Ronin.

Daxi people have an instinctive disgust towards Fusang people, because they have heard of pirates raiding coastal areas. And the Fusang people have a condescending condescension towards the Daxi people. They think that the big country is nothing more than this, and that some Fusang Ronin who can’t mix in the local area can defeat the Daxi coast. It is really shameful.

However, because Daxi imposed a maritime ban, the maritime merchants who come to trade are like crucian carp that crosses the river, and the local resources of Fusang are in short supply. After trading with Daxi, the domestic embarrassment will be greatly eased and the mood is very complicated. So this The second Fusang country also sent envoys to Daxi.

It’s just that the two countries have been grieving for a long time, and the Fusang people are vulgar and can’t understand etiquette. The officials in charge of reception at Hongfu Temple also look down on these barbarians, so they are deliberately negligent and not as thoughtful as the other envoys.

The Fuso country envoy who came to Daxi this time was a daimyo under the Jianglu shogunate, whose name was Kanai Chengyuan, who was also known as the Kanai daimyo. Said it is a ‘Daimyo’, but it is a minister under the local shogunate system, similar to a landowner in the Daxi countryside. Because he took a large amount of his land to go to the shogunate, he changed his name to a daimyo.

This is why the officials in charge of reception at Honghe Temple despise the Fusang barbarians. Did they send a landlord to see the friendship established by other countries in the past? You must know that what they saw was the emperor of Daxi, no matter in terms of status or status, this was not equal. Daxi people thought it was rude and insulting.

It’s just that the Fuso people can’t be blamed, the Fuso domestic turmoil, the Emperor’s government has existed in name only. According to Daxi’s theory, the shoguns of various shoguns should at least send a leader. But if the shogunate really came, I’m afraid they would fall into their mouths and a soldier would actually come.

Because at that time, the so-called shogunate generals in Daxi were no more than a hundred households, not even a thousand households. Of course, the power in his hands is definitely different, but since you are a general, we count how many people you have in your hands.

However, Daxi is a big country, and his temperament is naturally different. Therefore, the Fusang country was also invited to the banquet this time. It’s just that the place where he sits and the attention of Emperor Xi are definitely not as many as that of countries such as Goryeo.

It was the first time for Kanai Daimyo to come to Daxi, and he was naturally amazed, especially after coming to the capital, he refreshed his vision again and again.

Of course, he is not a fool, and he naturally understands that he and others are looked down upon by others. Even being despised one after another is a personal irritation! In particular, seeing Emperor Xi continue to show good wishes to other small country envoys (gives wine), but ignores him, and it makes him angry.

He stood up with a sigh of relief, and said in unfluent Chinese, “Your Majesty, Emperor Daxi, I have something to say.”

In fact, the reason why Kanai came here this time is because he can speak Chinese, although he is not fluent. There are many daimyos under the shogunate, and there is fierce competition between daimyo and daimyo. In order to obtain the qualifications of Daxi this time, Daimyo Kanai took a long time. These are thanks to a concubine Daxi who was taken to Fusang by pirates in his mansion, and a ready-made teacher, his progress far surpassed others.

Pressing these and not mentioning it for the time being, the Emperor Xi saw that the Fusang envoy was so impassive in etiquette, first his face became cold. He moved his eyes, and Zheng Haiquan on the side stepped forward: “Kanai, please tell me.”

Kanai Chengyuan bowed his hand: “It is reported that Daxi is strong in soldiers and horses. Everyone admires martial arts. There are many people with high martial arts. I have also heard of it in Fusang. But the prestige of my Fusang samurai is also world-renowned. On occasion, why not ask someone to let them compete? Firstly, contact our friendship between the two countries, and secondly, they will also distinguish between each other.”

Is this man here to smash the scene?

The envoys of Ryukyu and other countries all went to Kana Castle with strange eyes. This kind of request was actually made on this occasion. If you lose, you will lose face in front of the envoys of the countries, but you will laugh generously. If he wins, will Emperor Daxi become angry and send troops to destroy your Fusang?

As for why these envoys guessed that Fusang would win, the Fusang warriors were indeed world-famous and world-famous for their brutality. If you can’t win, you will have to have a cesarean section. If someone takes your life and fights you, the original fighting index of fifty will also be raised to one hundred.

“I have five adopted children, and I heard that your country’s princes are also five. Why don’t you let them compete?”

Everyone was shocked when Kanai Chengyuan said this.

Not to mention other things, everyone knows that the princes are all respected, and it is actually nothing more than admiration to say that they are high in martial arts. There is only one martial artist, and that is the three princes, but those three princes are only eighteen years old, how can they be compared to the Fuso samurai who licks blood with a knife.

In addition, the adopted children of Kanai Chengyuan are also tricky. Some famous names in Fusang will raise a few dead men. In fact, they are thugs. Only those with the highest martial arts will be adopted by the daimyo, and they will be noble. The status and luxurious life.

These Daxi people don’t know much about it, but Ryukyu is adjacent to Goryeo. These shameless Fusang Ronin not only raid the Daxi coast, but Ryukyu and Goryeo are also suffering from it, and they understand their clues.

It’s just this kind of occasion, how can I make a sound reminder.

Let’s not mention whether he will offend Kanai Daimyo. If Emperor Daxi is an arrogant and arrogant person, he will be blamed in public. It is also a matter of consideration.

Emperor Xi was not an incompetent person. Seeing the faces of the envoys of Ryukyu and other countries, he had already guessed something was wrong.

Before he could say anything, the prince stood up, walked to the court, and pointed at Kana’s name: “You are so arrogant, let you see the majesty of my Daxi today.”

Emperor Xi froze his face, Luo Huaiyuan covered his face underneath.

What is a pig teammate?

This is it!

When the prince said this, it was tantamount to putting all the other princes on the fire. It would be good to win. If you lose, then you will lose your lord. And the dignified prince and the adopted son of a small country landlord went to compete with each other. How did the prince come up with this?

Luo Huaiyuan believed that so many ministers of civil and military affairs were present, and every minute he refuted the name of Kanai to go back and cry for his mother.

But this is the end of the matter, and it is already hard to get off.

The prince had done something stupid, but he hadn’t noticed it yet, with one hand in front, the back of the hand and behind him, looking majestic and majestic.

As everyone knows, there are already countless people below who want to scold the mother, which is why the prince Ming is orthodox, and there are still people who want to take refuge in the second prince and one line. Regardless of status or status, such a reckless generation is really afraid that this great ancestor’s foundation will be defeated by him.

The second prince laughed decently and kept silent, waiting for the prince’s good show.

The matter reached the queen, and the queen’s graceful smile finally froze.

Regardless of not getting people’s attention, he turned his head to tell the people around him meticulously.

The queen’s strangeness naturally attracted the attention of others. In a short while, what happened in the main hall has been spread here.

For these noble ladies, Fusang people are equivalent to evil spirits. All of them clutched their hearts, for fear that they would hear some horrible news.

Yan Yan thinks a lot. If it’s really better than Wu, what would the fat guy do? ?